Aja Naomi King facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aja Naomi King
King in December 2014
Born	(1985-01-11) January 11, 1985 (age 40) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	University of California, Santa Barbara (BFA) Yale University (MFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2008–present
Spouse(s)	Dan King
Children	1
Awards	Full list

Aja Naomi King (born January 11, 1985) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in TV shows and movies. Aja started her career with smaller parts on television. She then got a main role in the TV series Emily Owens, M.D. (2012–2013).

She also starred in films like Four (2012) and Reversion (2015). Aja became very well-known for playing Michaela Pratt in the TV show How to Get Away with Murder (2014–2020). She also earned praise for her role as Cherry Turner in the historical film The Birth of a Nation (2016). More recently, she starred in A Girl from Mogadishu (2019) and Boxing Day (2021). In 2023, she was nominated for a big award for her role in the miniseries Lessons in Chemistry.

Early Life and Education

Aja Naomi King was born in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in Walnut, California. She studied acting at the University of California, Santa Barbara. There, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Later, she went to Yale University's School of Drama. She received her Master of Fine Arts degree in 2010. While at Yale, she acted in many plays. These included famous ones like A Midsummer Night's Dream. After finishing school, she worked as a waitress for three years. During this time, she was also trying out for acting jobs.

Acting Career

Starting Out

Aja Naomi King began her acting journey in short films. Her first TV appearance was in 2010. She was a guest star in the police show Blue Bloods. She also appeared in other shows like Person of Interest.

Her first movie role was a small part in Damsels in Distress (2011). In 2012, she got a big role in the TV show Emily Owens, M.D.. She played Cassandra Kopelson, a new surgical intern. The show lasted for one season. In 2013, she co-starred in two independent films. One was Four, where she played Abigayle. She won an award with her castmates for their performance in this movie.

Big Roles and Recognition

King in August 2014

In 2014, Aja got a main role in the TV show How to Get Away with Murder. This show was produced by Shonda Rhimes. Aja played Michaela Pratt, one of the main students. The show was very popular and ran until 2020. Aja received her first NAACP Image Award nomination for her acting in the series.

In 2015, Aja starred in her first main movie role in Reversion. She also played the main female role in the historical film The Birth of a Nation. This movie was about a fight for freedom led by Nat Turner in 1831. Aja played Nat Turner's wife, Cherry. Critics praised her performance in the film. Variety magazine called her one of the "Biggest Breakthrough Performances" at the Sundance Film Festival. She was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award for this role.

In 2017, Aja appeared in the movie The Upside. She then took on the main role of Ifrah Ahmed, a Somali activist, in the movie A Girl from Mogadishu (2019). In 2020, she was in the drama film Sylvie's Love. She also played a main role in The 24th, a historical drama about events in Houston in 1917. In 2023, she co-starred with Brie Larson in the Apple TV+ miniseries Lessons in Chemistry.

Beyond Acting

Aja Naomi King has also worked in modeling. In 2015, she became the face of Olay skincare. In 2017, she became a spokesperson for L'Oréal Paris. She has appeared in many ads for the brand. In 2022, she was in an advertising campaign for the jewelry brand Chopard.

She has also been featured on the covers of many well-known magazines. These include Vanity Fair, Elle, and Essence.

Personal Life

Aja Naomi King is married to Dan King. In June 2021, she announced the birth of their son, Kian.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Aja Naomi King para niños